Miniature Worlds:

Miniature Worlds:Chinese Snuff Bottles

September 2 - December 19, 2014

Opening Reception:
Saturday, September 6, 5-7 PM

“Miniature Worlds” is a display of 180 snuff bottles
selected from the Museum’s permanent collection by Abigail Wang ’15, Janet Inskeep Benton ’79 Curatorial/Research Intern. The display is part of the Art in Dialogueseries, which provides a forum for investigating the Museum’s
permanent collection.

In craftsmanship and function, Chinese snuff bottles reflect
international circuits of trade and cultural exchange, and speak to the mystery
and intimacy of everyday objects. Snuff, fine-ground tobacco that is lightly
inhaled into the nostril, originated in the Americas, became popular in Europe
by the seventeenth century, and was soon after introduced to China by missionaries
and merchants. The production and use of snuff bottles emerged as a symbol of
social status, and bottles were customarily given as gifts to courtiers, family
members, and acquaintances. The height of production was during the Qing
dynasty (1644-1911), and artisans used an astonishing range of materials, from
glass and jade to bamboo and mother-of-pearl. Snuff bottles include several
common motifs and themes; for example, different animals or landscapes allude
to traditional tales or symbolize a variety of good tidings or wishes.